Flight '02

Well, Flight '02 is now over and we are already looking back on our memories : the problems and irritations which beset us, the leaders, at the beginning of the camp are already beginning to fade in comparison with the wonderful days from the middle of the week onwards. There are, as always, lessons to be learnt but the girls had a wonderful camp. The choice of activities was second to none - where else does the average girl get a chance to try gliding or scuba-diving, or learn how to play a digeridoo?

The week started with glorious weather, and from the opening ceremony, with its fly-past and aerobatic display put on specially for us by a small plane and the camp-fire which followed, through the days of exciting activities and novel crafts, to the excellent wide game on the Friday, disappointingly abandoned at midday because of unbelievably torrential rain, the girls loved it all. Even the final evening and night, with most of the sub-camps flooded and washed-out, brought back that good old "Blitz Spirit" and we sent out for fish and chips for 500, evacuated most of the tents and bedded the girls down on the floors in the buildings! The few hardy stalwarts whose tents weren't awash and who stuck it out under canvas to the bitter end felt suitably smug, but the girls sleeping together indoors enjoyed the novelty too, so everyone was happy.

Saturday dawned overcast and with sodden tents and the field thick with mud (think "Glastonbury") a dry strike was out of the question, so with the weather forecast promising improving weather in the next few days, most sub-camps left their heavier tents to dry for a few more days and concentrated on getting the girls packed and off safely.

Will there be a third Flight? I expect so. Will I be there? Well, Guide camp is a bit like childbirth - you soon forget the pain at the beginning and remember the pleasure of the result and eventually find yourself doing it all over again!